Week 9! Every time I write the title I get a little bit more upset as we are inching closer and closer to the finish of the season. The only thing that keeps me afloat is going 3-1 in my four leagues this week and having my Eagles win against the bye week. Please, nobody tell me that we aren’t making the playoffs when the Seahawks made it a few years ago at 7-9. Don’t forget they went on to make two straight Superbowls following that.

Okay, this is not the space for me to publicly trick myself into thinking my favorite team’s season is still alive so I can sleep at night, so I apologize. This is a space for me to spread the knowledge that I like to think I have of Fantasy football, which so far this season has been more successful than my own teams and my Eagles. Follow this advice and you’ll be knocking opponents off like Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

Hot Off the Wire

PICKUP OF THE WEEK!!DeAngelo Williams, RB Steelers (68 percent owned in ESPN format)
Open a new tab right now and add this man quickly! It may already be too late since Le’Veon’s knee injury last Sunday. DeAngelo was owned in just about 30 percent of leagues this weekend before the incident. I don’t have to say anything about this “backup,” because in his two-week tryout at the beginning of the season, he led the NFL in rushing. I hope you get lucky.

Jeremy Langford, RB Bears (58.2 percent)
Another one based on injury. Jeremy gets all of the secondary carries and should be handcuffed to Matt Forte for the rest of the season. Forte is doubtful for this week’s game with a knee injury so keep an eye out for a change, but this should be the guy going for Chicago on Monday Night Football.

Vernon Davis, TE Broncos (40.1 percent)
A big trade for this Pro-Bowl tight end! He now has an MVP quarterback throwing to him that just so happens to love tight ends more than anyone else on the field. His decreasing numbers over the past couple seasons have not really been from his age or physical decline, but his lack of plays and targets. Peyton Manning is set to fix that trend.

Blair Walsh, K Vikings (61.3 percent)
Had to do a kicker at least once. Since his bye week, Blair has had 11 attempts in three games. He knocked in all 11 of them and the Vikings have been playing great enough to make him worthwhile on top of that. With the plague that has struck kickers this season, you may need a replacement, and Blair is your guy.

Start’em, Sit’em
Figure out who you need in your lineup this week so you can dodge bad games like Cam Newton dodges defenders.

Eli Manning, QB Giants (Start)
Anyone else notice that Eli is having one of the best years of his career? I mean, really! The man gets the ball off faster in this new system and with that he hasn’t been crowded and forced to make bad decisions. He’s only thrown picks in three games this year and only has four on the season. To compare, his superstar brother has thrown one in every single game for a total of 11 picks and has 10 fewer touchdowns than Eli. Even without last week’s game where he threw for six touchdowns, Eli still has more and is actually having a more impressive season. This week, Eli will take the momentum of his best game into Tampa Bay, who doesn’t have the toughest secondary. Start Eli.

Andrew Luck, QB Colts (Sit)
Okay, he has definitely gotten better since the start of the season, but five picks over the last two games is not great for fantasy. I love this kid to death and I truly believe he is the next big thing, but this week he plays against Denver. The Broncos have dominated everyone so far, even Aaron Rodgers last week. Luck could be — but more than likely won’t be — the first to beat them.

Amari Cooper, WR Raiders (Start)
Last week, it was all about Michael Crabtree (as I predicted and informed you), since Amari was stuck on Revis Island. This week, the rookie will not see such defense and things should return to normal. No. 1 wide-outs have gotten the best of the Steelers this year, as we saw from AJ Green’s 11 receptions for 118 yards and a touchdown last week.

T.Y. Hilton, WR Colts (Sit)
Same thing with Andrew Luck and the Denver defense. T.Y. will probably be guarded mainly by Aqib Talib, one of the NFL’s best corners this year. Overall this defense has stopped wide-outs whether it be from perfect coverage, a dominant pass rush or both. Find another receiver this week.

Jeremy Hill, RB Bengals (Start)
Thank goodness this man is starting to show some life on the field for a very impressive Bengals team. In the last two games he has been given 16 carries and 15 carries, respectively, which are more than any other games with the exception of week one. What this means is he is growing in touches for this team and due to their success, they will surely keep up the pattern that has worked. This week they play against Cleveland, who has given up more fantasy points to backs than any other team and an average of 130 rushing yards per game.

Melvin Gordon, RB Chargers (Sit)
One thing that has disappointed me this year is the competition between Gordon and Gurley, which has been missing a player all year. Gurley has been tearing it up, while Gordon sits idly by. The rookie has not once broken 10 fantasy points in standard leagues and has yet to find the end zone in any game. It doesn’t help that Phillip Rivers is on track for a 5,000 yard season either. Look for the ball to be coming out of Rivers’ side-arm throw this week and not into the gut of Gordon.

Chris Ivory, RB Jets (Start)
A very quiet production week against the Raiders makes me feel another breakout coming from this back. He got about his normal carries so he is definitely not being downplayed, Oakland just stood him up at the line. The Jacksonville Jaguars will not be able to do the same. The way he catches passes gives him even more value against this team that has been torched by versatile backs this season. He should really be present in your lineup every week.

I hope this week’s FSI helps you progress towards the ultimate fantasy goal of winning a championship for the small sum of money and the everlasting bragging rights on your friends and colleagues.
As always, feel free to contact me for any advice you need or any questions you have. Make sure to follow myself and the Daily Nexus Sports on Twitter!